The New World
by The True Archangel
Summary: Post-Apocalyptic. Fang's challenges have not ended with the world. Rated T for violence, and occasional swearing.
1. Ch1

Disclaimer and Other such descriptions: I wrote the entire opening up to Max's name before I knew what I was going to write about so I'm building around that. Also I do not own Maximum Ride, that privilege belongs to James Patterson and he's done well with it.

* * *

><p>Hatred is a strange thing because when you hate something, it ends up being all you think it about and eventually you become fond of this thing, and because you think about it so much maybe you even come to love this thing. Thing referring to person, person referring to Max.<p>

My hatred almost mirrors the violent clouds that I can see in the distance. These clouds are churning like a pot of water boiling over. The colors are dark and gloomy. Cracks of lighting rip across the sky and then disappear leaving only the outline of what had once been destructively beautiful. I knew I had to land, I couldn't fly in that storm. It would kill me, but then again the land bellow doesn't look all that appealing either. The entire landscape in all directions is cracked, sand colored, rock. What had once been a road are now fragments of road.

How did I, the amazing Fang, end up in this hell hole? I'd tell you if I knew all the science behind it but all I know is that something hit the fan and hit it hard and now the world is on the brink of death.

And Max and I are at each other's throats once again.

It had been her idea, well at least I think it was, but then again it may as well have been mine. Nothing makes sense anymore and it didn't make much back then when the catastrophe was actually taking place. Choices are tough especially when they involve life and death. It's like trying to choose between your two favorite bands knowing that the one you don't choose you can never listen to again, but the one you do choose you must listen to all the damn time.

'Bands' is just a fancy word for people more specifically children, about a year of age at the time, genetically engineered using Max and my DNA. If we'd had the choice when breaking into the compound we would've saved them all but we only thought there were two or three. I guess it only makes sense if I paint the picture.

Max and I, all past conflicts gone and determined to release as many genetically modified organisms into the world to improve chances of survival in this hell hole once named earth, decided to break into a compound we _knew _was housing genetic engineered children. At the time we had no idea they were _our _children. We just knew there were children and it was proven children had a better chance of surviving whatever catastrophe had occurred.

Max and I fought our way into the compound, at the time, which was seven years ago, we had been twenty-one and we were loaded with weapons. It had become much easier to obtain and use high powered weaponry which made for breaking into an unguarded compound extremely easy. None of the scientist stood and chance, but at the same time none of them knew what catastrophe had occurred, something I was trying to figure out at the time and still am.

Once inside the actual storage area Max and I were surprised to not only find that the one-year old children were our children but that there was fifty of them. The biggest problem was that there was no way we could care for fifty children, the second problem was the voice that chimed into our heated debate saying 'Compound self-destruct sequence has been activated. You have two minutes to evacuate the compound.' That had put another twist on things. Max wanted to release all the kids and then just lead them out. She kept saying that we had enough time, but I, being the realistic one, knew that no such thing could happen. We were wasting time just talking and our best odds were taking one boy and one girl.

I finally convinced Max to come to my side and we agreed that we would each choose one of the opposite gender. I would choose a female and Max would choose a male. Max was crying the whole time but still moving quickly. We only had about a minute to choose and get out. I scanned the file quickly and choose a small girl at random. Max appeared to have already choose a boy who was crying in her arms as the sirens continued to wail. Max had solemnly signaled for us to leave and we had escaped with ease, but Max had taken the boy and left and I only saw her on occasions and never the boy.

I was stupid to reply in kind by taking the girl and doing the same. I knew I was isolating Sapphire, my genetically…daughter. My daughter. Even now it's strange to say. I remember how Sapphire had grown unnaturally fast. She, at age eight, was nearly to the development that Max and I were at when we were thirteen. Her wings, a greyish blue, supported her naturally light frame but upgrades had been made. She was much faster than I was, once I taught her to fly, and she remembers nearly everything. I would always tell her stories about the world before the catastrophe and she would devour them like a student listens to a professor lecture. She loved to hear stories about Max and My antics in The Old World as Sapphire and I have taken to calling it.

And that is the reason Max and I hate each other. She hates me for 'killing' forty-eight kids and I hate her because she hates me irrationally, which in itself is irrational.

But I've spent too much time talking and I need to land before the storm hits. Sapphire will be fine for a night by herself. She could always go to one of the other members of our makeshift town if she feels unsafe, but I doubt she will. She'll just think I'm testing her again. Testing her strength, maybe stamina, maybe mind or might, or maybe her ability to reason, but this is not a test but just her father getting caught in a storm he could fly through but doesn't want to risk.

If he had been younger he would've gone ahead and flown through, but your thoughts become more rational as you age. And if you know that your life actually matters to a whole town instead of just a few people.

The Village most people call it. The settlement is another hundred or so miles east in the patches of green high up in what had once been the Appalachian Mountains. It's one of a couple of villages like it that ring what's left of New York City, the capital of United Coalition of Survivors or UCS. There are no true laws only understood precedents and moral laws. And the idea that we all need to survive.

The Village, officially Village 3, is at the top of one of the rivers till around. The Village is made up of about ten or so crudely assembled buildings from any material that can be used. The center of the town is where trials take place and where public announcements are made. The center of town is where I play judge, jury and executioner. I, somehow, got the role of Protector. I'm responsible for the entire village and I have to pass all legal trials. I try to keep it fair but it's difficult with no set laws and only your own judgment as precedent.

But right now I'm curled up in a ball inside a cave trying to dry which I know will take as long as paint takes to dry. Being inside this cave reminds me of the many adventure Max, The Flocks and I had over the years.

The Flocks are another topic that's sometimes hard to discuss. Out of all the members of our own Flocks only Maya I know is alive. She's living in The Capital working as some form of law enforcement. I often send her some trials I don't feel like dealing with, but I haven't seen her in nearly seven years.

Max has told me that she saw Iggy the other day but I know that the experience with the children affected her. She swore she saw Angel as well; the only person who I know is dead. I watched her die. The image will stay with me for the rest of my life whether I want it to or not. The sight of crimson red blood pooling and flowing like its own living entity crawling form Angel's body to create a lifeless corpse nothing like the ray of sunshine and sometime devil I had once known.

I don't believe anything Max says about The Flocks anymore and I certainly don't listen to any of her ideas. She wants me to go and try and find her mother and half-sister who undoubtedly died in the early years of whatever the hell this catastrophe was. Max also asked me once to tell Jeb to leave her alone. Jeb is dead. He's another person who I watched die but I wasn't too sad at the time. Now, looking back on it, I can only see the good things he did for us and I cry just thinking about it.

Then there's the catastrophe. Whatever it was it nearly killed the planet and left much of it scarred and covered in desert or stone. It changed some humans, those are the ones who survived, and everyone else died within two years or so. Most of them just disappeared without a trace except for the piles of bones or little mementos left behind right before death. Watches, journals, stuffed animals, and favorite toys are scattered near these bone piles that are still around.

"Anyone in there," I hear a voice yell and I just groan in response.

"I asked if there's anyone in there," The voice yells again and I'm able to recognize the need to respond.

"Me," I groan and then hear the rustle of someone moving inside the cave. I look up to see a tall and well-built man with dark skin. He's completely bald with brown eyes. He's wearing only a pair of jeans and he has pure white wings. Not unusual. It seems Max and I are not that unique after all. The man also has a pistol holster at his hip.

"You don't look that good, were you flying in this storm," The man asks helping Me into a sitting position.

"You weren't flying in this?" Is my immediate response. It comes out as a little accusing.

"Can't, I never learned how. They wouldn't teach me, not much good these things do if you can't use 'em," the man says motioning to his wings. I immediately regret my previous statement. He's not the only person I've met like this, but he seems older than me.

"Ah, well yeah I guess I was trying to fly in it for a while. I need to get back to my village. My daughter is there," I respond immediately spilling my guts out to this seemingly trustworthy man. The man just looks at me for a few seconds as if pondering possible responses.

"Storm should blow over eventually. Do you mind if I stay here?" The man asks as if ignoring my previous statement completely.

"Not at all. My name's Fang, what's yours," I say offering a hand.

The man happily grabs my hand and gives me a rough hand shake saying, "I'm Danny."

"Good to meet you, so what' your story," I ask.

"It's not all that interesting. I was born and raised in a lab, I know I seem old but I'm only about twenty-four. Whatever they did to me made me age much faster than a normal human would," Danny says as if remembering an old enemy. Is this the fate of Sapphire? Will she grow at the same rate?

"That is pretty boring, no offense, but nothing like my story. I could tell you if you'd like," I say as if I we're talking to Sapphire.

"I'd like that a lot," Danny responds happily and I begin to recount my story, from beginning to end. Not leaving out details or cutting lines. I tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And when I'm done Danny's asleep and the storm has blown over. I reach into my sling bag and pull out a small blue flower I had gotten from my journey to Sanctuary. It should serve him well. It's worth a fortune but it's far too small payment for the service he provided me. Sometimes the best thing we can do in life is stop and listen.

I slowly begin to become conscious again but do not open my eyes. I smell blood, never a good sign. I had flown a few more miles north the previous night to allow me a straight shot back to the village, but I cannot fly forever and I needed rest. Now that I open my eyes I realize that resting may not have been the best idea.

I'm surrounded by sand color walls and if not for my enhanced vision I'm sure I would just be staring into blackness. I think I would prefer blackness. I see blood scattered all over the wall and pieces of bodies left to rot creating a foul stench, worse than that of a garbage dump. The door out of the room has no window and no sign of how to open it. There are no windows except for a small maybe four inch tall hole at the top left side of the room. Light from the moon is streaming into the room providing minimal lighting. I'm still in my jeans and shirt, but my sling bag is gone and even if I found it I'm sure whoever has taken me would've removed the valuable contents.

Instantly I tense up as I hear the sound of locks being moved. I sprint to the wall by the door. The door then slides open and in strides a large burly male. He's only wearing pants, far too short and small for his burly legs, like two pillars. He's got a gun in his right hand and a syringe in his left. In the syringe is a familiar purple liquid. It causes death about ten seconds after injection, just another part of our society.

"This is a joke right, there's no one in here," The man bellows. His voice sends vibrations through me and makes my head pound. In sprints two more smaller guards holding automatic rifles. These men have tattoos covering nearly every part of their skin causing them to blend well with the environment. I've seen them before, they call themselves 'The Chosen' and often interact in the alive and well slave trade business that thrives in the wastes.

"What," the taller one, who has 'Marc' tattooed on his forehead, screams surveying the room. When his eyes fall on me I notice him squinting and pray for the best. It's been a long time since I've tried my ability out, but I need it now more than ever.

"How'd he get out?" the smaller one says and all three of them sprint out of the room, likely to bring back more guards or alert other to my presence. I slip out the door and find myself in a hallway made of the same sand colored material. There's only one way to go, forward. As I move I realize that I haven't run into anybody.

"Hey," I hear a man yell from behind me and spin to see a guy fumbling for his pistol. I don't have much choice and take one step before pushing forward and unfurling my wings as much as the hallway will let me. I fly forward into the man before he can even grab hold of the pistol. As I pin him to the floor by his neck I realize that I know him. Or at least I used to know him when he lived in my village. He was thought to have been kidnapped. He was often getting in trouble and I often had to discipline him or send him back to his parents.

The look on his face is one of fear but my slight hesitation allows him to pull his gun out of its holstier. I feel the metal stab into my side. I know very well I can knock him out in one punch but it could kill him. I hear the sound of his finger pressing on the trigger and I move quicker than he can pull the trigger and land one punch right into the bridge of his nose which immediately begins to bleed. I hear the sound of bones cracking, like glass underneath my inhuman strength. I sigh before taking the pistol, small and semi-automatic, and one of the purple syringes that all these men seem to carrying.

With the syringe in my left hand and the pistol in my right I continue down the hallway more cautiously now. At any intersection I always go straight or right but can never find my way out. The hallways all look the same but are completely empty. Finally after what feels like hours, but what was most likely minutes, I find a door that opens out into the world. I take off dead sprint for it and don't stop once I'm through it, but when I look up I don't see the moon, instead hundreds of light flick on and I find myself surrounded by hundreds of The Chosen. The door slams shut behind me.

"Will you look at that, not only killing a deserter, but also making through the maze without encountering Brick. We've got an amazing one here, I'm sure we'll be in for a real treat in this edition of 'The Guantlet.' You, what's your name," I hear a powerful voice yell over a loudspeaker.

"Fang," I yell. I'd heard of The Gauntlet. It was spoke of in hushed circles back in UCS controlled space, but I never thought I'd be taking part in it.

"Very well. Fang, if you can kill whatever challenger we provide you, you may go free with all your possessions and immunity from any of our brethren. But if your challenger wins he will be given all your possessions, the same immunity, and one other prize of his choice. Do you accept this challenge?"

"Doesn't look like I have much choice. Bring him on!" I yell and I watch as a gate opens on the other side of the ring. Through the door comes Danny, dressed in combat armor and with an automatic rifle, who looks like he's about to pee his pants.

Ah hell. Just my luck. I can't kill him, I just can't bring myself to do it, but Danny must value his life more because he raises the rifle unsteadily and fires off rounds at me. I sprint to my right and take off trying to dodge the rounds coming from Danny's gun.

"Don't make me kill you! Stop firing, we'll get out of this!" I try and yell but Danny's to busy trying to put a bullet through my chest. I swoop low above the crowd who are hooting and hollering make my head pound and creating a symphony of hatred and rage. I feel more bullet wiz by me and I begin to dive towards Danny as he's trying to put a new cartridge into the rifle. He looks so scarred and just at the last second I pull up and put all my speed into a kick before doing a back flip and landing on my feet. The crowd cheers as Danny goes flying towards the middle of the ring. He falls onto a piece of metal I only just notice and suddenly a metal spike pops out of the ground impaling Danny through the stomach.

I sprint over to Danny who says, "I'm so sorry. Just, kill me."

And for the second time that day I kill a person whom I once knew.

* * *

><p>Review Please<p>

Tell me what you think. I have a general idea where the story is going but otherwise I'm just going with what feels right.


	2. Ch2

Little shorter this time. I didn't want to drag on things that shouldn't be.

Shovel of Doom: Thank you for the review. I'd try to convey how much it means to me with words but despite being a writer I doubt I could so I'll answer you question instead. The name Sapphire came form an old friend of mine who has become somewhat distant due to moving, but when we used to talk I asked her for a good name for a female, names are not my strong point, and she came up with Sapphire and it was the most beautiful name I've ever heard so I just went with it.

* * *

><p>"Ah, the man of the hour," says most likely the oddest man I've ever seen. He's got red eyes and rainbow colored hair. I swear I've never seen so many colors in his hair. He's also wearing a patchwork and mismatch of clothing that made him look like some old loon. All that and the fact that he only came up to my waist in height made him not only the oddest man I'd ever seen, but he also contrasted with the booming voice I'd heard over the loud speaker.<p>

"I was promised freedom if I completed your challenge. I want freedom, but don't think I won't get retribution for the actions you have forced me to commit," I growl like a feral animal but don't move. I don't want to give the two guards any reason to shoot.

"Come now Fang, can't you stay for one drink," The eccentric man says grabbing a bottle of wine. I just shake my head and a frown crosses the man's face.

"Fine. I promised you immunity in our lands and inside your bag is a ribbon. Just have it on you and no one will touch you less they want to mess with The Gamemaster," this man, The Gamemaster, proclaims. The Gamemaster, the name is very familiar and I suddenly want to learn more about him.

"I think, I think I changed my min. I'll stay for a little while, under the condition that I may ask you a few questions," I respond taking a seat in a worn out leather lounge chair.

"And I will comply as long as I may answer at my discretion," The man says and with a flourish he pours two cups of wine. He offers me one of the cups which I decline. He frowns but just sits down waiting for my first question.

"Your name is very familiar to me, what did you do before The Catastrophe," I ask and the man cracks a grin.

"An odd first question in my opinion, but nonetheless an easy one to answer. I created ideas for games of all kinds," The man says, "But I got my big break when a friend of mine got me a deal with a company by the name of Itek or something of that nature. I was hired to rehabilitate the company's image after they broke with their science branch working on bird kids similar to you. The idea for the gauntlet came from my time at that company."

My mind instantly shuts down. Itex had a role in creating The Chosen? It makes sense, but did they know about The Catastrophe well enough to plan for the aftermath?

"All very interesting. The Chosen, they are rarely spoken about but what do they stand for," I ask.

"The Chosen are a group of survivors dedicated to perfecting our world at all costs. In this harsh new environment only the strong survive so we try and weed the strong out from the rest of the pack. It seems harsh and The USC often see us as terrorists, but everything we do is necessary for the betterment of post Catastrophe society," The man says in nearly one breath as if the speech is planned. I nearly begin to sweat, that sounds a lot like Itex.

"My turn to ask a question, Fang, What were you doing out west? There's nothing out there but dead lands but you came back with flowers and fruit," The man asks. I know immediately I have to get out of there and fast. Sanctuary is a place where only Sapphire, Maya, and I have been. No one else knows of the little oasis tucked away in what had previously been The Ohio River Valley. I cannot risk giving up the place I plan on living someday to the world. The east coast is fine for The USC and The Chosen have taken well to the deserts but neither of them has found Sanctuary and I plan to keep it that way.

In a flash I grab my bag and I'm out the door. As soon as I am I realize that the sun is up and I'm out on a dusty plan inside one The Chosen's settlements. The buildings are all made of a solidified mud, and there are a few gardens here and there. I have no idea where I am because there is desert in all directions, except for the little pond of water next to the town. I hear people coming behind me. I take a few running steps, throwing my sling bag over my shoulder, and then take off into the air, flying towards the rising sun.

As soon as the settlement is far behind me I begin to slow down and go at a leisurely pace. I let the sunlight cover me with a blanket of warmth and I spread my feathers, the feeling of flying is completely freeing every time, but just as I'm beginning to enjoy my flight my mind wanders to Sapphire. How's she holding up? Fine most likely, but anything could've happened.

That's when I finally begin to see the desert turn to green and I regain my bearings. I adjust myself so that I'll end up in The Village and decide that I might as well fly until I get there. It'll feel good to get home again.

People talking, noises, and the general chaos of a large city fill the ears of Marcus Riley. He breaths in deeply before opening his eyes only to be met with pure black. He looks around before rising to his feet unsteadily and feeling for a light switch. He wanders about the pure black room before tripping on something and falling forwards onto what feels like a leather couch or seat.

Marcus is now sweating profusely. He's confused and unstable. He has no idea where his is and only knows his name, but nothing of his past. The noise from what must be a city doesn't help much.

"Is someone there," Marcus hears a light flicks on and a women, looking to be about twenty-seven, walks into the room in sweats and a tank top. She instantly tenses up and dives behind an old and worn out counter. The women rises up, gun in hand, with a look of pure hatred on her face.

"I, I'm sorry I don't know how I got here," Marcus stammers raising his arms defensively as he sits on the couch praying this women doesn't pull the trigger. In most circumstances Marcus would've considered her beautiful, her brown hair falls to her shoulders and her brown eyes complement her face, well defined, well. She's thin, but not overly so.

"Unlikely," She says, "What's your name?"

"Marcus Riley," Marcus responds.

"My name's Maya. Nice to meet you," The women, Maya, says lowering the gun and throwing it on the counter, "Can I get you something, maybe a soda?"

But as Maya turns to grab the soda Marcus sees something he's never seen before. Wings, attached to Maya's back. There white with a few of the tips brown. He's stunned and just stammers out babble.

"What? Never seen a girl with wings before? Where have you been living for the past seven years after The Catastrophe?" Maya asks spreading her wings a bit further.

"The Catastrophe? What's that?" Marcus asks extremely confused. He's sweating and then suddenly the light bulb above their heads explodes.

"Marcus! Marcus, run! I need you to run and find someone for me, go, ask around for Fang in Village Three! Tell him to go to Sanctuary," Marcus hears Maya yell as the sound of fighting breaks through the peace. Marcus hears the sound of gunshots before staggering in the direction he remembers a door. He feels for the knob and when his fingers fall on the cool metal he pulls the door back and sprint out into a long hallway. Fang, Village Three. Marcus, stuck in a world he doesn't remember, is going to help someone he just met.

"Dad!" I hear Sapphire yell from behind me as I land tiredly in The Village. The flight was long and the sun will rise again soon, but I guess I should talk to Sapphire first.

"Hey Sapphire," I say happily turning around to see a girl, abnormally tall for a girl her age. Even taller than Max was at thirteen. She's got my black hair, cut close to her head right below her ears. Her eyes are a hazel or green color. Her wings, held against her back at the moment, are a beautiful midnight blue.

Sapphire sprints up to me and I throw my arms around her before she asks, "What happened, you were supposed to be back two days ago."

"I'll tell you about it some other time. Right now I was hoping that I could catch up on my rest, It was a long flight," I say walking with Sapphire back to our one story house, constructed of scrap metal, wood, and any other supplies we could find at the time. The house has a kitchen at the main entrance and two bedrooms that share a bathroom. Some genius, most likely genetically engineered that way, designed a way to have running water and thus plumbing. He also designed the energy sources that power what little energy is used by The Village.

"I'm sure it was exciting," Sapphire says and I tuck her in. I sit by her bed and wait for her to fall asleep, the same as any other night, before going to sleep myself.

I hear glass break and I'm instantly awake. I spin off my bed and look around but no one broke any windows in my room and I nearly pull the door off its hinges as I move from my room into the main kitchen area. I'm met with the sight of three men in full body, metal armor black as the night sky. The one at the front is holding a long and elegant looking sword. The two behind him have their automatic rifles trained on my chest. My body is tense and not even the sound of breathing can be heard.

"Fang," The one at the front says but the voice comes out almost robotic, altered in some way.

"Who the hell are you and what the hell are you doing in my house," I breathe out with hatred dripping off every word. I sprint forward my fist drawn back. My speed seemingly catches these men off guard and I throw a quick punch into the first metal head's face. My fist crunches the metal inward and the man lets go of the sword and I grab hold of it.

As soon as my hand grabs that sword something deep inside me clicks on like a light switch and suddenly I spin and knock another one's gun aside before stabbing him in the gut. I pull the sword out and spin in a circle, my blade severing the connection between the man's body and head. I then throw the sword, as though I'd done it before, and it hits the last man dead between the eyes.

I stand still, breathing heavily and just staring at my hands. I can't explain what just happened, but the feeling was amazing. Like a rush of adrenaline, but tenfold. I lean down next to one of the men and try to detach the helmet but it refuses to budge.

"Fang," I hear behind me and I spin quickly to see a fourth man, holding Sapphire, and another with his gun at my forehead before I can even move. The metal removes the heat from my body and I pray he doesn't pull the trigger.

"Outside, Now," The man holding Sapphire says and I just walk after him, but the other man still decides to forcefully bury the gun in my back.

"Easy now," I say cockily as I follow the man holding Sapphire outside. This man sets Sapphire down and she runs to me. I kneel down and let her bury her head in my shoulder as she cries. This was a life I hoped she would never have to experience.

"Fang, its time to pay your dues," One of the men say and I look up to see he's holding a box in front of my face, "Any live lost today are meaningless. You will be forgiven, we did not expect such skill to be exhibited at this point in time."

I just stare at the box before saying, "You break into my home, take my daughter hostage, and try and kill me before giving me a gift? Keep your package."

"Destiny cannot be avoided Fang. Remember that," The man says throwing me the box. I stare at the pure black box for a second before looking up to see the men have gone. I have a feeling my trials are not over just yet.

* * *

><p>Review Please.<p> 


	3. Ch3

I have a few things to address before jumping into the story:

The first: Thanks to those who have reviewed and I'm sorry it's taken so long to update

The Second: I know its taken me a while to update. This has been for two major reasons. The first is the numerous projects that were thrown at me during the closing of the school year, but now with summer here I should be able to write more if the second reason doesn't take hold again. The second reason is the reason I never finish any of my stories: Summer. I'm more of a winter person and the warmer it gets the more I encounter writers block or doubt myself, but I'm hoping to have another update within two weeks, I'll try and make it long to make up for this short one.

-Arc

* * *

><p>"Dad, are you still awake," I hear sapphire ask as she walks out of her room as the sun is rising. I hadn't slept since receiving the black package and I'd spent all night looking at trying to find a way to open it.<p>

The package, a little longer than my forearm, is pitch black and always cool to the touch. I'd spent hours scanning the surface trying to find a crack or crevice of some sort, but the box had none to show. It didn't help that I couldn't hold it for more than a few minutes before my hands felt like they were going to fall off from how cold they were.

I'd tried heating the package over an open flame but it just stayed the same cool temperature. It defies many of the natural laws I know of.

"Yes. Did you sleep well?" I ask as Sapphire takes a seat next to me with a roll covered in butter.

"I couldn't sleep either," Sapphire says. Her innocence to the things that I'd gone through on a nightly basis almost made me forget who I am. It would be wonderful to have never had to run and hide and fear for my life, but that was not my life, nor will it ever be my life it seems.

"What do you say we go and get something better to eat," I muse and Sapphire nods in agreement. She goes to get dressed and leaves me to examine the box one last time. I push my index finger against the surface. My finger begins to burn from how cold it is but I just keep pushing and suddenly the box begins to fall away as though each part of it were folding into the adjacent parts until all that's left is one side of the box and its contents.

I pick up the note laying on top of a black rod the same length as the box. The note feels like sandpaper in my hand and as I unroll it a sound like the crackling of fire fills the room. The note appears to be hand written, but elegant and easy to read.

_Dear…_

_You know who you are so I won't spend valuable time on unnecessary statements. If you've received this note then one of your friends is either dead or on the way there. I recommend that you drop all plans you have for the next couple of centuries. This staff has been passed down from generation to generation and I expect that although I cannot lead the next holder in its abilities…I watched you grow fang. Hold it well and remember everything you once knew. Kill without mercy those who threaten your family and friends, but give mercy to those who do not act of their own accord. Fang, Destiny awaits, the question is whether or not you await it. _

_-A.S._

_P.S._

_The past cannot be changed but the future is never sure. _

"Hey you figured out how to open it," Sapphire says happily and runs over. She grabs the black metal rod, the staff I assume, and suddenly drops it to the floor with a howl. I instantly grab her hand to examine it. On her palm, where she grabbed the staff, is a black mark the same size as the staff. I run to my room and grab my medicinal supplies. I return to Sapphire and help her to the sink where I run cool water over the scar and then wrap it with athletic tape.

I walk towards the staff and reach for it to which Sapphire yells, "Don't touch it!"

"It's okay, says its meant for me," I say and grasp one hand around the staff. That's when I suddenly experience a feeling of overwhelming sadness. The world, all my troubles, and the pain and suffering of every man, women, and child feels like it's on my shoulders, but then in a sudden flash of light the staff expands to its full length. White lines begin to snake up and down the staff creating elaborate patterns that resemble the styles of elves of literature. It's in this moment that I catch a glimpse of many faces I've known, both past and present, and I find that in all sadness is a silver lining of sorts. This is the true power of hatred, sadness, and everything bad in the world.

Like a fire lights inside me, relief spreads through my body filling me with the odd sensation of warmth. It's a wonderful feeling, like climbing under the covers of a bed when it's freezing. This feeling washes through my body like a wave until every inch of sorrow is swept away and is replaced with all the happiness in my life, everything worth living for.

"Fang, Fang I heard screams is everything okay in there," A voice screams breaking my trance. I look around a little dazed and confused but otherwise unharmed.

"Dad, its Leo," Sapphire says opening the door to let in our neighbor, Leo. Leo is by far one of the coolest people I've met. He just oozes confidence and prestige. He often wears simple jeans and a polo that often conflict with the quiver of arrows on his back. Leo, along with being laidback and a great friend, has one of the greatest eyes I've ever known. He can easily out draw any gun and put an arrow in you before you pull the trigger. In general he's a very useful companion in post Catastrophe society.

Leo quickly looks at the staff and a look of confusion crosses his face. He opens his mouth but nothing comes out so he closes it again. He repeats this action a few times making him look slightly ridiculous.

"Ignore it. What are you actually here for," I ask as I try and find a place to place the staff on my person. In the end I just put it on the table and decide to look for something to hold it later. Leo sighs and slumps his shoulders finally showing some signs of fatigue. That could not be a good sign. I silently offer him a chair which he happily sits in.

"Sit down Fang," Leo says signaling another chair. I sit down and Leo opens his mouth and once again nothing comes out. He looks like he's trying to compose himself or find the right words to describe what he's going to say. I fear the worst remembering the note that came with the staff.

"Fang, Do remember that time you told me to never let go of hope?" Leo asks, and I just nod in response.

It had been during a particularly hot day during which Leo was assisting me with a particularly gruesome trial of a man who had murdered his own family in claims of 'raising their spirits to the Heavens.' Leo had been sitting down and testifying, as he had been the first one there and I try and get a good picture of what went on before making my decision, when the man we'd been detaining in a simple cage suddenly started mutating. It was my first experience with a new breed of mutant referred to as 'Shifters.' The Shifters are quite ugly in their primal form. They have grotesque purple skin and large eyes, but they can shape shift which makes them particularly hard to catch. On top of their ability to shape shift, they also seem to have picked up the ability to teleport small distances. This one used his ability to teleport and begin choking Leo. I had to put a bullet through the Shifter's head before helping Leo who asked if that's what humanity is turning to then why do we even carry on hope.

My response had been, "You never lived this life before The Catastrophe. This has been my life for the past twenty-eight years. I know it seems grim but you're still alive, but we cannot give up hope for if we give up hope than it allows hatred and dissent to take its place just creating more people like Shifters. Never let go of hope Leo."

"Well Fang, have you given up hope?" Leo asks confusing me.

"What do you mean? Do you come bearing more bad news about someone's death," I ask hastily.

"No, in fact I come bearing mixed news. The first piece should be a nice relief: Fang, there's a man sitting in the dining hall asking for you. He says his name is Iggy."

My heart begins pounding. Could it really be Iggy? But then my mind takes another path and I begin to think that maybe Max had actually seen him which could mean that maybe some of the flock isn't dead, but I need to know before getting my hopes up.

"Alright, what's the other news?" I ask.

"There's another man wanting to talk with you. He says that a friend of yours has been captured or attacked, he's not sure which. He says her name is Maya, isn't that Sapphire's mother?" Leo asks quietly as Sapphire is starring out the window paying no attention to the conversation. I almost laugh to myself because it's slightly funny how, without seeing Max and Maya together, Leo thinks that Maya is Sapphire's mother.

"No but she's a friend all the same. Are they ready?" I ask.

"Of course. They'll be there although I think you might want to get there soon. The one, Iggy, is causing quite a mess with some of the kids. I've already had to confiscate some firecrackers because you would not believe what the kids are doing with them." Yep, that's Iggy. I help Leo out of the house before telling Sapphire to get ready to go out. I return to my room and throw on a new pair of jeans and a plain black shirt. I look in my closet and find a cross-chest gun holder and throw it on. I put the staff in it so that it's on my back and hanging diagonally.

"Sapphire you ready yet," I yell.

"Yeah I'll be out in a minute," I hear her yell back.

"Hell one minute, Heaven the next," I muse to myself.


End file.
